Source – AutoGear
In the second free practice session of the Dutch Grand Prix on Friday, George Russell led the way at Zandvoort, followed by Oscar Piastri, the opposition driver for McLaren, and Lewis Hamilton, his Mercedes teammate.
After the mixed weather of FP1, the second practice session at Zandvoort brought brighter and drier conditions, though the gusty winds persisted, adding an extra layer of complexity to the already challenging circuit. The Zandvoort track, nestled among sand dunes, is known for its tight and twisty layout, and the unpredictable winds only heightened the difficulty for the drivers.
As FP2 commenced at 1600 local time, the drivers wasted no time getting to grips with the improved track conditions. However, the changing winds soon made their presence felt, leading to several early incidents. George Russell experienced a “strange” lock-up that sent his Mercedes skidding through the gravel at Turn 8. Similarly, Sergio Perez, feeling the pressure to perform, ran wide at Turn 1, while Max Verstappen had a heart-stopping moment as he fought to control a snap of oversteer through the high-speed Turn 7.
The drama escalated when Nico Hulkenberg, who is set to leave Haas at the end of the season, lost control of his updated car under braking for Turn 1. His Haas slid across the gravel before crashing into the wall, damaging the right-hand side of the car and bringing out the red flags. Hulkenberg’s crash highlighted the unforgiving nature of the Zandvoort circuit, especially when combined with the ever-changing wind conditions.
Once the session resumed, with about 40 minutes left on the clock, the drivers seized the opportunity to switch to Pirelli’s soft tires, aiming to set competitive, qualifying-style lap times. Verstappen was among the first to lay down a marker with a lap time of 1m 10.986s, which was quickly bettered by Lando Norris with a 1m 10.961s. The times continued to tumble as Oscar Piastri, recovering from a recent rib injury, lowered the benchmark further with a 1m 10.763s.
However, Mercedes had more to offer. Russell, determined to assert his pace, clocked a 1m 10.702s to go P1, while Lewis Hamilton slotted into P3, making it a strong showing for the Silver Arrows. The top five drivers, including Verstappen and Norris, were separated by just over two-and-a-half tenths of a second, underscoring how tightly contested the session was.
Fernando Alonso, always a formidable competitor, was the ‘best of the rest,’ securing sixth place for Aston Martin, just 0.371s off Verstappen’s time. Yuki Tsunoda put in a solid performance for Red Bull, finishing seventh, while Kevin Magnussen rebounded from his teammate Hulkenberg’s earlier mishap to take eighth for Haas.
Charles Leclerc, representing Ferrari as the sole driver for most of the session due to Carlos Sainz encountering gearbox issues, ended up ninth. Sainz’s mechanical troubles were a setback for Ferrari, but Leclerc managed to keep the team in the top ten. Alex Albon, continuing his impressive form, rounded out the top ten for Williams, just ahead of Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll.
Sergio Perez, who has been struggling to regain his form, finished in 12th, trailing his teammate Verstappen by six-tenths. Daniel Ricciardo, driving the other Red Bull, was 13th, while Pierre Gasly placed 14th for Alpine. Gasly’s team confirmed earlier that Jack Doohan would be his teammate for the 2025 season, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the team’s future lineup.
Logan Sargeant put in a respectable effort to place his Williams 15th. The Kick Saubers of Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas, the latter back in the car after Ferrari reserve driver Robert Shwartzman took over for FP1, were 16th and 18th respectively, sandwiching Esteban Ocon’s Alpine in 17th.
Sainz and Hulkenberg, both limited by their respective issues, were unable to set competitive times on the soft tires and ended the session in 19th and 20th. Their teams now face a race against time to prepare the cars for the final practice session.
Adding to the tension, the stewards announced post-session that they would investigate two potential unsafe releases in the pit lane, with Zhou being sent out into Ricciardo’s path and Albon narrowly avoiding a collision with Stroll.
As the teams debrief and analyze the data, all eyes will be on the final practice session scheduled for Saturday morning, followed by the crucial qualifying session in the afternoon. The unpredictable conditions at Zandvoort have already provided plenty of drama, and with more action to come, the stage is set for an exciting continuation of the Dutch Grand Prix weekend.
